1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5

In the 2012 World-Akobian Internet correspondence chess game, the world team considered this line as a possible drawing variation for black (black played 5...Nd7 and ultimately lost).

What does deep analysis show? Analysis seems to indicate that best play is likely 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3.

This page is a practice exercise in constructing lines of analysis which are useful for playing a correspondence game.

(Rybka4.1)

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.e5

[+0.24] d=35 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 f5 10.Bxf5 Bxf5 11.Qxf5 Nd7 12.Qf3 Qh4 13.h3 Qe7 14.Be3 Nb6 15.Ng3 Bxg3 16.Qxg3 Nc4 17.0-0-0 Nxe3 18.Qxe3

[+0.17] d=29 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3* cxd4 5.Nxd4 e6 6.Nd2 Ne7 7.N2b3 Nbc6 8.f4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6 10.Qd3 f6

*[+0.24] d=31 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e6 6.Be3 Ne7 7.f4 Nec6 8.Nd2 Nxd4 9.Bxd4 Be7 10.Bd3 b6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nf3 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 O–O 14.c3 Qc7 15.O–O g6 16.Rac1

3...Bf5

4.Nf3

[+0.20] d=29 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.0-0 Nd7 7.Nbd2 Ng6 8.Nb3 h5 9.Be3 Be7 10.Ne1 h4 11.Bd3

[+0.20] d=29 4.Be2 e6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.0-0 Nd7 7.Nbd2 Ng6 8.Nb3 h5 9.Be3 Be7 10.Ne1 h4 11.Bd3

[+0.17] d=29 4.Nd2 e6 5.Nb3 Nd7 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.Be2 Bg6 8.0-0 Nf5 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Re1 0-0 12.Qd2 Rac8 13.c3 h6 14.h3

[+0.15] d=23 4.a3 e6 5.Nf3 Nd7 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Be3 Qb6 8.Bd3 h6 9.Na4 Qc7

[+0.14] d=23 4.h3 e6 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Nc3 Nd7 7.a3 c5 8.dxc5 Nc6

4...e6

[+0.19] d=29 4...e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.O–O Ne7 7.h3 c5 8.c4 a6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Be7 13.d5 exd5 14.Qxd5 Nc5 15.Qc4 Bd3 16.Bxd3 Qxd3 17.Qb4 Qe4 18.Qxe4 Nxe4 19.Re1 Nc5

5.Be2

[+0.19] d=28 5.Be2 Nd7 6.O–O Ne7 7.Nbd2 h6 8.Nb3 Qc7 9.a4 g5 10.a5 a6 11.Be3 Bg7 12.h3 O–O 13.c3 Bg6 14.Re1 b5 15.axb6 Qxb6 16.c4

5.c3 [+0.12] d=27 5...c5 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.cxd4 Ne7 10.Be3 Nc6 11.Nc3 Be7 12.Bg4 Bxg4

5...c5

[+0.22] d=31 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Ne7 12.O-O Nc6 13.g4 Bg6 14.f4 Be4 15.b4 Qc7 16.Nc5 Nxd4 17.cxd4 Bxc5 18.Qa4+ Qd7 19.Qxd7+ Kxd7 20.bxc5 f5 21.exf6 [32-ply interrupted, scoring +0.18, backsliding]

6.Be3

[+0.13] d=30 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Ne7 10.Qa4+ Nc6 11.Rd1 Qa5 12.Qxa5 Nxa5 13.Bb5+ Nc6 14.c4 a6 15.cxd5 axb5 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.Nd2 g6

[+0.18] d=26 6.Bg5 Be7 [Qb6 is likely better] 7.Be3 Nh6 8.dxc5 0-0 0.0-0 Nc6 10.Nd4 Qc7 11.Nxc6 Qxc6 12.Bxh6 gxh6 13.Bd3 Bg6

6...Qb6

6...cxd4, 6...Nd7 are the alternatives here for those who feel the "poisoned pawn" should not be pursued: (a) [+0.30] d=31 6...cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.c4 Nbc6 9.Qa4 a6 10.Na3 Rc8 11.Rc1 Qd7 12.cxd5 exd5 13.O–O Nxe5 14.Rxc8+ Nxc8 15.Qb3 Bg4 16.f3 Be6 17.f4 Nc6 18.Nxc6 d4 (b) [+0.43] d=30 6...Nd7 7.O–O a6 8.c4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Rc8 10.Be2 Bc2 11.Qe1 Bg6 12.Nc3 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bb4 14.f4 Ne7 15.Rd1 Nd5 16.Bf3 O–O 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Qg3

7.Nc3

7.b3 [+0.06] d=22 7...Nc6 8.0-0 Bg4 9.c3 Nh6 10.c4 dxc4 11.Nbd2 Rd8 12.Nxc4 Qc7 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6 Rxd6 15.Rc1 Nf5 16.Rxc5 Qd8

7...Nc6

7...Qxb2 This move is unexpectedly complicated

(a) [+0.33] d=31 8.Qb1 Qxb1+ 9.Rxb1 c4 10.Rxb7 Nc6 11.Kd1 Rb8 12.Rxb8+ Nxb8 13.Nh4 Bg6 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Bf3 f6 16.exf6 gxf6 17.Ne2 Ne7 18.h4 Bh6 19.g4 Nbc6 20.h5 Bg5 21.Bg2 Bxe3

(b) [+0.44] d=24 8.Qb1 Qb4 9.a3 Qxb1+ 10.Rxb1 b6 [10...c4 11.Rxb7 Nc6 Pogonina-Cheremnova, 2012, +0.49/26 12.Kd2 Bxa3 13.Rhb1 a6 14.R1b6] 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.Rb7 d4 13.Ng5 Nc6 14.Nb5 Rb8 15.Bf3 Rxb7 16.Bxc6+ Ke7 17.Bxb7 dxe3 18.Nxa7 Nh6 19.fxe3 Bxc2 20.Rf1 Bf5 21.e4 Bg6 22.Ke2 Bh5+ 23.Kd3

(c) [+0.32] d=21 8.Nb5 c4 9.Rb1 Qxa2 10.Nc7+ Kd8 11.Nxa8 Bxc2 12.Rxb7 Bxd1 13.Rxb8+ Kd7 14.Bxd1 Ne7 15.0-0 h6 16.Bd2 g5 17.Bc3 Qa6 18.Ba4+ Qxa4 19.Rfb1 Qa6 20.R1b7+ Qxb7 21.Rxb7+ Kc8 22.Rb1 Nc6 23.Kf1

8.0-0

[+0.25] d=32 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 c4 10.Nh4 b5 11.Nxf5 exf5 12.Nc5 Bxc5 13.dxc5 Nge7 14.f4 b4 15.Qc2 0-0 16.0-0 Rfb8 17.Bf3 Rb7 18.Rfd1 Rd8 19.Rd2 Rb5 20.h3 g6 21.Kh2 Kg7 JLJ this analysis would suggest 8.Na4 to be the main line

8.Bb5 c4 (a) +0.09/24 +0.09 9.0-0 a6 10.Bxc6+ Qxc6 11.Nh4 Ne7 12.Bg5 Be4 13.f3 Bg6 14.Ne2 Rc8 15.Qd2 h6 16.Bxe7 Bxe7 17.Nxg6 fxg6 18.c3 0-0 19.Qc2 g5 20.a4 (b) +0.08/24 9.Nh4 Bg6 10.0-0 Bb4 11.Bxc6+ Qxc6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Ne2 Nh6 14.Bg5 Nf5 15.h3 Qd7 16.c3 Be7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Ng3 0-0 19.Nxf5 gxf5 20.a4

8...Qxb2

[+0.00] d=30 8...Qxb2 9.Qe1 c4 10.Rb1 Qxc2 11.Rxb7 Bb4 12.Rxb4 Nxb4 13.Bd1 Qd3 14.Nh4 Ne7 15.Be2 Qc2 16.Bd1 Qd3 17.Be2 Qc2 18.Bd1 Qd3 19.Be2 Qc2 20.Bd1 Qd3 21.Be2 Qc2 22.Bd1 Qd3 23.Be2 Qc2

9.Qe1

9.Nb5 [+0.00] d=21 9...c4 10.Rb1 (10.Nxc7+ 0.00/24 10...Kd7 11.Nxa8 Bxc2 12.Qd2 c3 13.Qc1 Bg6 14.Nh4 Qxe2 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.Rb1 Kc8 17.Qxc3 Qc4 18.Qd2 Qa6 19.Rb3 Nge7 20.Rfb1 Na5 21.Rb5 Nc4 22.Qe2 Nf5 23.Qf3 Be7 24.g4 Na3 25.Rc1+ Nc4) Qxc2 11.Qxc2 Bxc2 12.Rb2 Ba4 13.Nc7+ Kd7 14.Nxa8 b5 15.Rfb1 Ba3 16.Rxb5 Bxb5 17.Rxb5 Nge7 18.Rb7+ Kc8

9...c4

10.Rb1 Qxc2

11.Rxb7

11.Bd1 [Zeng-Yu Ruiyuan, Chennai, 2012 11...Qxb1 12.Nxb1 Bxb1 0.00/25 13.Ba4 Bd3 14.Qa5 Kd7 15.Rd1 h6 16.Bc1 b6 17.Qa6 Kc7 18.Bxc6 Kxc6 19.a4 Ne7] 11...Qd3 Smirin-Popov St Petersburg 2010 +1.61/19 12.Ba4 0-0-0 13.Qc1 Qxf1+ 14.Qxf1 Bd3 15.Qd1 Bxb1 16.Qxb1

11...Rb8

11...Bb4 is not easily refuted 12.Rxb4 Nxb4 13.Bd1 Qd3 14.Ba4+ Kf8 15.Qa1 Bg4 +0.66/26 16.Qb2 (Ne1 transposes) Rb8 17.Ne1 [17.Rb1 Karjakin-Sergey Poikovsky 2011 0.00/22 17...Bxf3 18.Bc2 19.Qxc2 Nxc2 20.Rxb8+ Ke7 21.Rb7+ Kd8 22.gxf3] Qg6 18.f3* h5 19.fxg4 hxg4 20.Qd2 Qh5 21.Bf4 Ne7 22.Nb5 Nbc6 23.Nd6 Kg8 24.Bg3 Rf8 25.Nc2 Qg6 26.Rd1 Rb8 27.a3 Rh5 28.Ne3 Rb1 29.Bc2 Rxd1+ 30.Qxd1 f5 31.exf6

*+0.88/27 18...Bf5 19.Bb5 Nc2 20.Nxc2 Bxc2 21.Qa3+ Ne7 22.Qxa7 Rc8 23.Bd7 h6 24.Bxc8 Qd3 25.Bf2 Nxc8 26.Qc7 Kg8 27.Nb5 Kh7 28.Qxf7 Qg6 29.Qxg6+ Kxg6 30.Rc1

12.Rxb8+

[+0.00] d=25 12.Rxb8+ Nxb8 13.Bd1 Qb2 14.Ba4+ Kd8 15.Bg5+ Kc8 16.Nb5 Qb4 17.Qd1 Qa5 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.exd6 Nf6 20.Ne5 Rf8 21.Bd2 Qa6 22.d7+ Nbxd7 23.Bb4 Rg8 24.Nxf7 Kc7 25.Bd6+ Kc8 26.Bb4 Kc7 27.Bd6+

12.Bd1 Rxb7 13.Bxc2 Bxc2 (a) -0.48/21 14.Qc1 Bg6 15.Rd1 h6 16.Nh4 Bh7 17.f4 Nge7 18.Qa3 Rb6 19.Qa4 Nc8 20.Nf3 Bb4 21.Bd2 0-0 (b) -0.61/21 14.Qa1 Bd3 15.Re1 Bb4 16.Bd2 Nge7 17.a3 Bxc3 18.Bxc3 0-0 19.h3 Rfb8 20.Nd2 h6 21.Qd1 Nf5 22.Qg4 g6 23.Rc1 Kg7 24.Kh2

12...Nxb8

13.Qa1

13.Bd1 Qb2 14.Ba4+ 0.00/27 14...Kd8 [Klein-Michalik, Groningen, 2011, continued 14...Nd7 +0.69/26 15.Nb5 Qb4 16.Qd1 Qa5 17.Bd2 Qd8 18.Qe1 Be7 19.Ba5 Nb6 20.Nxa7+] 15.Bg5+ Kc8 16.Nb5 Qb4 17.Qd1 Qa5 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.exd6 Nf6 20.Ne5 Bg6 21.h4 Qa6 22.Bf4 Nfd7 23.h5 Nxe5 24.Bxe5 Bd3 25.h6 Bxf1 26.hxg7 Rg8 27.d7+ Nxd7 28.Bxd7+ Kxd7 29.Qh5 Ke7

13...Bb4

[+0.00] d=31 14.Rb1 Bxc3 15.Rxb8+ Kd7 16.Qd1 h6 17.Rb7+ Kd8 18.Rb8+ Kc7 19.Rf8 Bb4 20.Qxc2 Bxc2 21.Rxf7+ Ne7 22.Rxg7 Kd7 23.Bc1 Bc3 24.h4 a5 25.h5 Ke8 26.Kf1 Bb1

14.Rb1

14.Bd2 Bracker-Lorenzo de la Riva, Barcelona 2012 -1.14/22 14...Bxc3 15.Qxc3 Qxc3 16.Bxc3 Nc6 17.Nh4 h5 18.Nxf5 Nxf5 19.Rb1 Nc6 20.Kf1 g6

14...Bxc3

14...a5 +0.40/21 15.Bd1 Qd3 16.Ba4+ Nd7 17.Rc1 Bxc3 18.Rxc3 Qb1+ 19.Qxb1 Bxb1 20.Ra3 Ne7 21.Bb5 Kd8 22.Bd2 Kc7 23.Bxa5+ Nb6 24.Bb4 Nec8 25.Kf1 h6 26.Ke2 Be4 27.Nd2 Bg6 28.Ke3 Kb7 29.Ba6+ Kc6 30.Ra5

15.Rxb8+ Kd7

15...Ke7 +1.02/23 16.Qc1 Qxc1+ 17.Bxc1 Kd7 18.Bd1 Kc7 19.Rf8 Bg6 20.Ba3 a5 21.Bd6+ Kb7 22.Ng5 Bxd4 23.Rxf7+ Bxf7 24.Nxf7 Kb6 25.Nxh8 Nh6 26.Bf8

16.Qd1

16.Qf1 (a) 0.00/24 16...Kc7 17.Rf8 Bb4 18.Rxf7+ Ne7 19.Bg5 Re8 20.a3 Bg6 21.Rxg7 Bxa3 22.Nh4 Bd3 23.Qe1 Bxe2 24.Qa5+ Kb7 25.Qb5+ Kc7 26.Qa5+ Kb7 27.Qb5+ Kc7 28.Qa5+ Kb7 29.Qb5+ Kc7 30.Qa5+ Kb7 31.Qb5+ Kc7 (b) 0.00/24 16...Bg6 17.a3 h6 18.h3 Qa4 19.Nh4 Be4 20.Rb7+ Kc6 21.Rxf7 g5 22.Bf3 Bd3 23.Be2 Be4 24.Bf3 Bd3 25.Be2 Be4 26.Bf3 Bd3 27.Be2 Be4 28.Bf3 Bd3 29.Be2 Be4 30.Bf3 Bd3 31.Be2 Be4 (c) +0.41/21 16...Qxa2 17.Qc1 Qa1 18.Qxa1 Bxa1 19.Rb7+ Kc6 20.Rxf7 Nh6 21.Rxa7 Bb2 22.Rxg7 Ng4 23.Bf4 Ra8 24.g3 Ra1+ 25.Kg2 h5 26.h3 Ra2 27.hxg4 hxg4 28.Be3 gxf3+

16.Qc1 Qxc1 [Balogh-Michalik, Aix-les-Bains France, 2011, continued 16...Kc7 +0.72/24 17.Rf8 Qxc1+ 18.Bxc1 Bg6 19.Ba3 a5 20.Bd6+ Kb7 21.Ng5 Bxd4 22.Nxf7 Bxf7 23.Rxf7+ Kb6 24.Rf8 h5 25.Rb8+ Ka6 26.a4 g5 27.Re8 g4 28.Rxe6 Kb7 29.Kf1 Nh6 30.Rf6] 17.Bxc1 0.00/24 17...a5 18.Ng5 Bg6 19.Be3 f6 20.Nf3 Bh5 21.exf6 gxf6 22.Bd1 Bxf3 23.Bxf3 h5 24.Kf1 f5 25.g3 Ke7 26.a3 Kf7 27.Rb7+ Kf6 28.Rb8 Kf7 29.Rb7+ Kf6 30.Rb8 Kf7 31.Rb7+ Kf6 32.Rb8 Kf7

16...h6 (16...Qxa2 might not work +0.40/22 17.Ng5 Bg6 18.h3 h5 19.Qc1 Ba1 20.Rb4 Ne7 21.Rb7+ Kc6 22.Rxe7 Rb8)

[after 16...h6, an imbalanced position where it appears white can make no progress]

0.00/29 17.Rb7+ Kd8 18.Rb8+ Kc7 19.Rf8 Bb4 20.Qxc2 Bxc2 21.Rxf7+ Ne7 22.Rxg7 Kd7 23.Bc1 Bc3 24.h4 Rg8 25.Rxg8 Nxg8 26.Kf1 Bb1 27.Bd1 Bxa2 28.Ba4+ Ke7 29.Bc2 Bb3

0.00/29 17.Ra8 a5 18.Ra7+ Kc6 19.Nd2 Qxd1+ 20.Bxd1 Kb6 21.Rxf7 Bb4 22.Rxg7 Ne7 23.g4 Bd3 24.Ba4 h5 25.h3 Nc6 26.Kg2 Rf8 27.f4 hxg4 28.hxg4 c3 29.Nb3 Bb5 30.Bxb5 Kxb5 31.Rb7+ Ka6 32.Rc7

0.00/29 17.a3 Qxd1+ 18.Bxd1 g5 19.Rb7+ Kc6 20.Rxa7 Rh7 21.h4 g4 22.Nd2 Kb6 23.Rd7 Kb5 24.Ra7 Kb6 25.Rd7 Kb5 26.Ra7 Kb6 27.Rd7 Kb5 28.Ra7 Kb6 29.Rd7 Kb5 30.Ra7 Kb6 31.Rd7 Kb5 32.Ra7

0.00/29 17.Bc1 g5 18.Ba3 a5 19.Bc5 Qxa2 20.Bd6 g4 21.Nh4 Bc2 22.Bxc4 dxc4 23.d5 Ne7 24.Rb7+ Kd8 25.dxe6 Bxd1 26.Nf5 Nc6 27.Be7+ Nxe7 28.Rd7+ Ke8 29.Rxe7+ Kd8 30.Rd7+ Ke8 31.Re7+ Kd8 32.Rd7+

0.00/28 17.Bd2 Qxd1+ 18.Bxd1 Bxd2 19.Nxd2 Kc7 20.Ra8 Bg6 21.Rxa7+ Kb8 22.Rd7 h5 23.Rd8+ Kc7 24.Rf8 f6 25.Nf3 c3 26.exf6 gxf6 27.Ne1 e5 28.Bc2 Bxc2 29.Nxc2 h4 30.Kf1

-0.05/28 17.Qxc2 Bxc2 18.Rb7+ Kd8 19.Rb8+ Kc7 20.Rf8 Kd7 21.Kf1 a5 22.Bd2 Bb4 23.Bxb4 axb4 24.Rb8 Kc7 25.Rxb4 Bg6 26.Ra4 Ne7 27.Ra7+ Kd8 28.Bd1

-0.11/27 17.h3 g5 18.Rb7+ Kc6 19.Rxa7 Bb4 20.Rxf7 Rh7 21.Rxh7 Bxh7 22.h4 gxh4 23.Nxh4 Bc3 24.Qxc2 Bxc2 25.Nf3 Be4 26.Nd2

-0.20/25 17.Qf1 Kc7 18.Rf8 Bb4 19.Rxf7+ Ne7 20.Rxg7 Kd7 21.a3 Bxa3 22.Bd1 Qb2 23.Ba4+ Kc7 24.Qd1 Rg8 25.Rxg8 Nxg8 26.Ne1 Qb1

-0.26/20 17.Nh4 Bd3 18.Rb7+ Kc6 19.Rxa7 Qxd1+ 20.Bxd1 g5 21.Nf3 Bg6 22.h4 g4 23.Nd2 Kb6 24.Rd7 Bb4 25.Bxg4 Ne7 26.Nxc4+ dxc4 27.d5+ Bc5 28.Bxc5+ Kxc5 29.Rxe7 Kxd5 30.f4 c3 31.Rc7 Kd4 32.Kf2